Host and guest : a book about dinners, dinner-giving, wines, and desserts / by A.V. Kirwan.

  • Kirwan, A. V. (Andrew Valentine), 1804-1870.
Date:
[1864]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Host and guest : a book about dinners, dinner-giving, wines, and desserts / by A.V. Kirwan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    possession of this secret is the more extraordinary, as it is well known that a shower of rain will kill oysters subjected to its influence, or the smallest grain of quick lime destroy their vitality.* It will be seen from what I have stated, that epicurism is an ancient vice; hut all the French authorities, nevertheless, agree in thinking that the Greeks and Romans, not- withstanding their luxury and civilization, were mere children in the preparation of their viands. The reason of this, says Careme, is, that they sacrificed too much to sugars, fruits and flowers, and that they had not the colonial spices and learned sauces of me- diaeval and modern cookery. It is true that the “ officers of the mouth” of Lucullus and Pompey were possessed of secrets to stimulate the jaded appetite, and give tone to the debilitated stomach: but not- withstanding all their profusion, I am inclined to think that Careme and the corps of French cooks are right in their disparaging observations touching ancient cookery. Cookery is eminently an experimental and a practical art. Each day, while it adds to our ex- perience, increases also our knowledge, and as we have come long after the Romans, and have had the benefit of their experience, it is no marvel that we should have greatly surpassed them. The characteristic of ancient cookery was profusion; the characteristic of * “ Cours Gastronomique,” 124.